MassCEC is no longer accepting applications for commercial ground-source heat pump projects. MassCEC will continue to accept residential applications until all program funding is fully committed.

MassCEC is no longer accepting applications for commercial modern wood heating projects. MassCEC will continue to accept residential applications until all program funding is fully committed.

MassCEC is no longer accepting applications for commercial air-source heat pump projects. MassCEC will continue to accept applications for the residential whole home air-source heat pump pilot program until all program funding is fully committed or until December 31, 2019, whichever comes first.

Water and energy work together in almost every form of energy production to provide our cities and towns with the resources we need. Energy generation is one of the largest consumers of water. The water-energy nexus is the relationship between how much water is used to generate and transmit energy, and how much energy is needed to pump, collect, convey, treat and store water. This relationship is of growing importance to communities, municipalities and governments across the world.

New England is home to one of the most diversified and innovative water technology industries in the world. Massachusetts possesses strong potential to bring world-class water technology innovations and brainpower to U.S. and global markets with our universities, technology & engineering companies, investors, foundations, industrial water users, and leading municipal water utilities.

MassCEC encourages the development of the water technology industry by supporting a water technology industry cluster organization, helping the local industry access global partners and markets, and by providing early funding support for promising water technologies. By utilizing existing grant programs, MassCEC aims to accelerate the commercialization of new technologies in the water market.

This program is designed to encourage the development of innovative wastewater treatment technologies that reduce electricity consumption, cut energy costs for communities and/or improve the treatment process.

While the selected projects under this program are ongoing, the program is not currently accepting new applications. For program information, please visit the program webpage. To be notified about future funding opportunities under this program, sign up for email alerts here.

Massachusetts is well positioned to establish a strong and robust network of Demonstration Centers for the piloting of new water technologies as part of a strategy to become a global leader in the water innovation and energy efficiency sector.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) commissioned Woodard & Curran to evaluate the feasibility of developing a network of Water Technology Demonstration Centers in Massachusetts. Woodard & Curran assessed the physical condition of each site (electrical, mechanical, structural, etc.) and developed gross estimates of the capital costs needed for facility rehabilitation to support water industry demonstration efforts. Working from a basis of design, these studies developed potential revenue projections and provided options for sustainable business models from the water technology community.

For new water technologies to enter the market successfully, they must be thoroughly tested at a near-commercial scale to give tech developers and water system operators credible and externally validated data. A successful Water Technology Demonstration Center network would benefit Massachusetts-based water technology companies while also attracting companies to Massachusetts for demonstration purposes, and encourage innovation across all fields.

MassCEC offers a variety of funding opportunities that can support the development, demonstration and commercialization of innovative water technologies depending on the technological readiness of the project. These include:

Catalyst: This program provides grants to researchers and early-stage companies looking to demonstrate the feasibility of their clean water technologies and obtain increased industry and investor interest. This program is currently open.

InnovateMass: This program addresses the widely recognized funding gap between early- and late-stage clean energy and water technology companies by demonstrating the commercial readiness of innovative technologies at paired demonstration sites.

DeployMass: This program supports water innovation technology companies looking for their first or early Municipal client and facilitates the adoption of new innovative technologies at public agencies, schools and communities across the Commonwealth.

AmplifyMass: This program funds projects pursuing cost share or adders for a federal/non-federal prime award (such as awards from ARPA-E, NSF, DOE, USABC) and other projects that further MassCEC’s mission. This program accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Investments: MassCEC makes direct equity and venture debt investments in Massachusetts-based clean energy companies. Equity investments average approximately $500,000 in a Seed, Series A, or Series B financing round, with venture debt investments of $100,000 to $1 million to help Massachusetts-based cleantech companies grow, reach key milestones, and create jobs. Water innovation recipients of Investments funds include Anfiro, a startup developing high permeability reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes for desalination and water treatment.

Clean Energy Internship: This program helps prepare the next generation of clean energy workers by funding internships for students and recent graduates at Massachusetts clean energy and water innovation companies.

Seed Investments: This program supports companies as they advance and commercialize clean energy technologies and business models. It is a two-stage investment program that provides up to $150,000 in convertible notes to clean energy graduates of approved accelerator programs.

Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD)

UBWPAD is a water treatment plant in Milbury, MA. This project was undertaken to evaluate the impact of using the flue gas generated through the sludge incineration process at Upper Blackstone to support algae production for downstream markets; the project also successfully aimed to treat wastewater by leveraging algae’s ability to metabolize and capture nutrients. For more information, please see thefinal project report.

Town of Amherst Water Filtration System

This project was conducted to evaluate the benefits of using an advanced ultrafiltration technology for the Town of Amherst’s wastewater treatment facility and its water reuse program. Clean Membranes, a Massachusetts-based water treatment equipment company, received a $149,987.93 grant from MassCEC’s Wastewater Treatment Pilot Program. The grant funded a partnership with the Town of Amherst to pilot an innovative approach to reclaiming and cleaning wastewater on theUMass Amherst campus. For more information, please visit the project’s success story page andfinal project report.

2015 Water Technology Industry Roadmap: MassCEC, in collaboration with Battelle Memorial Institute and Redwood Innovation Partners, published this roadmap to describe the rapidly developing Water Technology Industry in Massachusetts, and identify strategies to increase the impact of this industry on the Massachusetts economy.

World Water Day: Celebrated annually on March 22nd, this day is about taking action to tackle the water crisis.There are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water (WHO World Water Day.)

MIT Water Club: This is a premier network for water research and innovation at MIT, with the mission of bringing together individuals to explore ways by which research, innovation, and policy can help solve the most pressing challenges in the water sector.